Clouds from the outer bands of Hurricane Earl appear over the Atlantic ocean at sunrise in Nags Head, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, as Earl approaches the east coast. Hurricane Earl with winds swirling at around 145 mph continued to barrel toward the Eastern Seaboard and forecasters were trying to pinpoint exactly how close the strongest winds and heaviest surge would get to North Carolina's fragile chain of barrier islands.

Virginia Beach lifeguards scan the water from the top of a protective sand berm that construction crews built to protect against storm surge from Hurricane Earl on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, in Virginia Beach, Va.

A window is boarded up with a message at the Buxton Beach Motel in Buxton, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 as Hurricane Earl approaches North Carolina's Outer Banks. The governors of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared states of emergency Wednesday in advance of the storm.

"Hurricane Earl is gathering some serious strength," Wheelock wrote. "It is incredible what a difference a day makes when you're dealing with this force of nature. Please keep a watchful eye on this one...not sure if Earl will go quietly into the night like Danielle."

A ferry with cars from Ocracoke Island docks in Hatteras, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. An evacuation of Ocracoke is underway as Hurricane Earl approaches the North Carolina Outer Banks. A hurricane warning was issued for the North Carolina coast Wednesday morning.

A boy takes cover from a wave caused by the approaching of the Hurricane Earl in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. Earl battered some islands across the northeastern Caribbean with heavy rain and roof-ripping winds Monday, rapidly intensifying into a major Category 4 storm on a path projected to menace the United States.

Army soldiers help to remove a fallen tree at the village of Liberta after the passage of Hurricane Earl near Antigua, Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. Earl battered some islands across the northeastern Caribbean with heavy rain and roof-ripping winds Monday, rapidly intensifying into a major storm on a path projected to menace the United States.

A sunken boat is seen after the passage of Hurricane Earl at the St. John's harbor, Antigua, Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. Earl battered some islands across the northeastern Caribbean with heavy rain and roof-ripping winds Monday, rapidly intensifying into a major storm on a path projected to menace the United States.